


Never Simple

by kcstories



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 5th year au, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Divergence, Community: slythindor100, Drarry, Hogwarts Era, M/M, Romance, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-02
Updated: 2007-06-02
Packaged: 2018-08-14 12:32:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8014111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcstories/pseuds/kcstories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Quibbler arrives and Draco isn't happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Simple

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a slythindor100 challenge using the quote "You can't help who you love. You're not supposed to." (from "Inevitable")
> 
> **Warnings:** 5th year AU. Slash. Flangst. Hint of fluff.  
>  **Disclaimer:** The Potterverse is JKR's, not mine.

He cradles his head in his hands and takes another deep, calming breath, determined not to break down and cry – not now, not _here_.   
  
He's vaguely aware of the sound of fast approaching footsteps, but he refuses to look up.   
  
He hears the rustling of what he knows to be a cloak. It makes him even more set on ignoring the person who has just joined him.   
  
"Draco?"   
  
He still doesn't raise his head to meet the boy's eyes. He hopes he'll just take the hint and leave.   
  
No such luck, of course.   
  
Potter's too much of a stubborn, insufferable Gryffindor for that.   
  
"Draco!"   


Two hands roughly grab his own and the speaker is at face level now, sounding quite frantic as he practically shouts:  
  
"MALFOY!"   
  
Draco looks up at last. He also tries to pull his hands away, but they're being held very firmly, and he hasn't the strength to yank them free.   
  
"I can't believe you have the gall to show up here, Potter," Draco says, almost spitting out the words.   
  
"But we always meet at-" Harry begins, but he stops talking the moment he spots a copy of _The Quibbler_ on the ground, and realises what Draco saw, what he found out before Harry had the chance to tell him about first. "Oh," he says softly.   
  
Draco finally succeeds in pulling his hands away. " _Oh._ \- Is that all you've got to say for yourself, Potter? That's your only comment to this- this- _outrage_?"   
  
Harry swallows hard before he blurts out, "He-He's a Death Eater, Draco."   
  
"He's my _father_ , Harry," the other boy shoots back and adds sharply, "You might at least have had the common courtesy to let your boyfriend know you were planning on breaking his mother's heart and smashing his home life to pieces, but of course nothing matters more to you than that old coot's precious cause, does it?"   
  
"It's my cause too," Harry says sadly.   
  
"Fine." Draco throws him a condescending sneer. "If that's how you want to play it. This has been-" He gets up and takes a deep breath to prevent his voice from breaking. "This was clearly a stupid mistake, not to mention a total waste of my time. So long, Potter. Have a nice life."   
  
Before Harry can say anything else, Draco swiftly walks away.   
  
Bewildered, Harry shakes his head and stares after him. His eyes start to fill with tears. He knows he had no choice. He had to tell the truth, the whole, terrible truth - Didn't he?   
  


* * *

  
  
Weeks crawl by at a mocking pace.

For Harry, life goes from bad to worse to downright horrible. 

He used to have Draco.   
  
Not so long ago, though it feels like ages, they'd meet in the Astronomy Tower, a little before midnight. Harry would follow Draco down to his Prefect room, and there, they'd kiss, cuddle and sometimes do a bit more besides, and often, if one of them couldn't sleep, they'd talk well into the small hours. Sometimes they'd sneak over to the kitchens too, and one of the House Elves would gladly make them something to eat.   
  
Now Harry spends his nights alone. He has no one. Not anymore. Not really.   
  
His friends wonder what might be wrong. He seems so worried lately, absent-minded and distracted, even more so than usual.   
  
They suppose it's due to stress, and Harry lets the matter rest. He lets them believe whatever they prefer to, because they really-truly- _absolutely_ mustn't find out about him and Draco.   
  
Not that there's still anything left _to_ find out – technically.   
  
Draco wasn't kidding when he ended their relationship. He won't even look at Harry anymore, meet his eyes or acknowledge any of the letters the boy sends him. There are so many of them; some desolate, pleading and tearstained.   
  
It's _over._   
  
On his way back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry feels someone grab his arm roughly. Before he fully realises what's going on, he's been shoved behind a thick curtain and Pansy Parkinson is standing right in front of him with a murderous look on her face.   
  
Harry grits his teeth. He expects to get hexed now, or slapped, or worse, and this time around, he doesn't really feel like defending himself. One way or another, he probably deserves whatever abuse she's about to dish out.   
  
"Isn't it about time you came to your senses and pulled your head out of your arse, Potter?" she snaps at him.   
  
"Huh? My hea- What?" he blurts out.   
  
"My best friend is a total mess," she tells him, placing a hand on her hip and tapping her right foot impatiently. "Isn't it about time you went and talked to him? Frankly, he's in a pretty bad state right now, and can I just add, not to upset your delicate sensibilities or anything, but you're not looking too hot either nowadays. Not that you ever did in the first place, don't get me wrong." She smirks. "But I'm sure you see my point."   
  
Harry glares, not sure what upsets him the most: the fact that Parkinson knows he and Draco used to be an item, or how the girl has apparently gone to all this trouble just to rub his nose in it.   
  
Finally he says bitterly, "Draco made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want to see me anymore. He'd probably hex me into next week if I dared to come within ten feet of him."   
  
"I don't think so," she says knowingly. "Not if you play your cards right."   
  
Harry frowns.   
  


* * *

  
  
"Remember what I told you. I'll keep watch for precisely five minutes. Any longer than that, and you're on your own."   
  
"Okay," Harry mumbles. He doesn't know what else to say, and he's not all that certain whether he should actually be thanking the girl either. For all he knows, she set him up out of spite, or she's simply pulling a nasty prank. It's a well-known fact, taunting Gryffindors has always been a popular Slytherin pastime.   
  
So in the end, he settles for a simple "Goodbye" before he knocks at Draco's door.   
  
A long minute later, Draco appears. His grey eyes look dull and tired, like he hasn't slept a wink for weeks.   
  
"Um," Harry begins hesitantly. "Hello?"   
  
"Potter."   
  
"Can I-" Harry looks around nervously. "Can I come in?"   
  
"I suppose." Draco shrugs. He steps aside to let Harry enter his room. As soon as the door is shut behind them, he asks, "So how did you manage to get into this section anyway? They changed the password last week."   
  
"Pansy Parkinson."   
  
"Sneaky little wench," Draco says, but his tone is more amused than malicious.   
  
"Draco, I-" Harry shivers. He looks into grey eyes that seem to have lost their fire and their fight, and Harry's heart clenches, not for the first time, in face of the blatant evidence of how badly Draco has been affected by all this.   
  
"I'm sorry," Harry whispers. "I shouldn't have-"   
  
To Harry's surprise, Draco shakes his head and holds up a hand. "No, I'm sorry. You don't have to protect- I mean-" He sighs. "I realise they're out to kill you as well, along with many of the people you care about, so of course you had to say something, name names, it's just-" He sighs deeply. "Why did it have to be Father?"   
  
Harry swallows hard. He opens his mouth to say something, defend himself more, but then it dawns on him what Draco is really trying to tell him. "You- You actually had no idea, did you?"   
  
Draco just gives him a blank look.   
  
"About your father, how deeply involved he really was- _is_ with Voldemort?"   
  
Draco shakes his head sadly. "No. I thought it was merely a political thing for him. Not-" He swallows hard and suddenly looks flustered, as if he realises how stupid and naïve that must make him sound. Not that those things aren't exactly what he has been up until now.   
  
"Oh Draco." Harry says. He closes the distance between them and pulls the boy into a tight hug. "I don't know what to say."   
  
Draco inhales sharply, forcing back tears. "Do you suppose, Harry, you and I, that we could start over?"   
  
Harry can only nod. "I've missed you like hell,'" he whispers.   
  
"Same here," Draco admits. "Much as I often hated myself for it."   
  
"I'm sorry," Harry says, not sure how else to respond.   
  
"Don't be," Draco tells him. "My Mother always says:  _you can't help who you love. You're not supposed to_."   
  
"Did you just say-" Harry gasps. " _Love?_ "   
  
"Um, yeah. Seems like I did." Draco blushes furiously despite himself. "You're not actually going to make me repeat that now, are you?"   
  
"No." Harry chuckles and gently kisses Draco on the lips. "And I love you too. These past few weeks have been-"   
  
"Yes, they have."   
  
The boys look at each other and smile. "Do you want us to talk some more, or get something to eat or-" Harry trails off.   
  
"Honestly? I just want to rest."   
  
"Oh, should I go back to-"   
  
"No," Draco quickly cuts him off. "I'd like you to stay. For some reason, I always sleep much better when you're lying next to me." He grins a little sheepishly. "We can talk in the morning."   
  
Only then does Harry realise tomorrow is a Saturday. It's funny how quickly he lost track of that sort of thing. "All right," he whispers.   
  
They stand there, in the middle of the room, for what feels like forever, holding one another tight. There are countless things Harry wants to say; most involve sanctuary once Dumbledore gets back, and their future together.   
  
But all that can wait. At least until morning.

  


  



End file.
